Episode 23
Plot With Morita giving a green light on the rescue operation, the JSDF prepare to siege the capital to save the pro-peace faction. The JSDF quickly neutralize all anti-air capabilities of the Imperials, before capturing the western gate. At the outskirts of the capital, paratroopers descend down. Zorzal and his lackeys are baffled as the sky "rains down enemies". A soldier reports to him that they have already captured the western gate. Zorzal prepares the defenses of the capital, and is persuaded by Tyuule to stay in the capital no matter what happens. Any resistance by the Imperials are quickly quelled by the JSDF's weaponry. With Bassoon prison under JSDF control, all the captured pro-peace senators, including Cicero La Moltose and his wife, are freed. Misery and others from the red-light district assist the pro-peace senators in leaving the capital. Meanwhile, the 11th Airborne Division reach the Jade Palace, where there is a stand-off between the palace guards and the Imperial forces. The JSDF ambush the Imperials, though one soldier is injured by arrow fire. The Imperials attempt to break through the JSDF line, but are easily repelled by Type 64 rifles with grenade launchers. Bozes cuts down the fleeing Luflus. With the Jade Palace and its VIPs secure, Colonel Kengun speaks with Bozes and Beefeater. He agrees to take the injured knights, as Bozes would have to leave them behind otherwise. Kengun has the severely wounded knights loaded on the Chinooks, while the less wounded would ride out with them. Bozes then goes off to save the princess, with Beefeater going after her because it would be reckless. Outside the capital, the pro-peace senators are loaded onto another set of Chinooks. Marquis Casel finds Cicero and his wife and are happy to see each other. Casel tells Cicero that he and Sherry ran to the Jade Palace and miraculously survived. He asks what happened to the other senators; Cicero responds that those that gave no resistance were spared, while those who did were killed. Bozes continues to make her way to the Imperial Palace to get Piña, but an Oprichnina refuses to let her through, branding her a traitor and the Imperials kill her horse. Beefeater picks her up and makes her way out of the city, with the Imperials in pursuit. Outside the capital, Kengun waits for Bozes and Beefeater, not wanting to abandon them. A soldier spots a mass coming out of the gate, and Kengun finds that Imperial cavalry are chasing the two knights. Kengun orders his soldiers to fire at the mass, and not to hit the women in the front. Beefeater's horse twists its ankle as it runs towards the JSDF, launching her and Bozes off. Kengun's soldiers catch Bozes while Kengun himself catches Beefeater. The group loads into the Chinook, which takes off before the Imperials can board it. As the Chinook flies back to Alnus, Bozes cries over her inability to save Piña. Beefeater tries her best to comfort her, while Kengun and the rest of the soldiers are saddened by the sight. Kengun wonders what Itami would do in this situation. Elsewhere, Itami and his companions make their way towards the capital. Anime-Manga Differences * In the manga, the Dark Elves is seen as support troop for the JSDF in the operation to lift off the Siege of the Jade Palace * The attacks on the Imperial outposts far from the capital by the JSDF are not seen from the anime. * In the manga, JSDF used mortar to decimate Imperial Troops not just only rifle grenades in the anime. * In the anime, Oprichnina members are killed mostly by assault rifle shot from the JSDF troops while in the manga most of them are killed by snipers. * In the manga, Luflus didn't run away from the battlefield like in the anime when he lost his entire army instead he stood his ground until Bozes slashed his face and hand off, killing him (in the anime, Bozes stabbed him in the back). Trivia and FYI Category:Anime Category:Episodes Category:Season 2